Elder recounts life at Celilo Falls, 66 years after inundation behind The Dalles Dam.

This month marks the 66th anniversary of the tragic loss of the Celilo Falls. At 10 a.m., March 10, 1957, the steel and concrete gates of The Dalles Dam closed, choking back the unimaginable force of the mighty Columbia River. Six hours later and eight miles upstream, Celilo Falls, the age-old Indian salmon fishery, was under water. But the spirit of Celilo still lives in the traditions and religions, indeed the very souls of Columbia River Indian people.
That day left a lasting scar on the heart of the elders who witnessed it. But they shared their stories with their children and grandchildren to make sure they never forgot. To this day, Umatilla, Yakama, Warm Springs, and Nez Perce peoples who were born long after the flooding of Celilo still mourn with their families on March 10th.
Many of those elders who witnessed the sacred falls disappear have now since passed, and the words and memories of those that remain become more and more precious. Bruce Jim, Sr. (Warm Springs) shares his memories of his time on the river before the dam. A time when all the children spoke their Native languages and fishers weren’t separated by tribes or bands. This is his story about his life at Celilo.